Bag for hot or cold packs



June28, 1938., CAREL 1 2,122,001

BAG FOR HOT 0R COLD PACKS Filed Oct. 5. 193a 2720 71 071 fifmjorz'el Ca 71?; %%z/%% Patented June 28, 1938 moron HO-T on oowrAoKs -Marjorie Garel, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Frank E. Selz, Glencoe, 111.

Application October-5, 1936. Serial No. 104,116

1 Claim. (01. 150-324) This invention relates to a bag for hot or cold packs, and-more particularly'to a bag adapted tobe'used on a memberof the body.

One feature of this invention is'that it may be used as either a hot or cold'pack; another feature of this invention is that the bag has the bottom part thereof fastened to the filler device; yet another feature of this invention is that the bag has extended segments adapted to surroun'da member ofthbody, as a hand and forearm; a still further feature of this invention is that the bag is provided with tie members for holding it in place on such a member; other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following specification and the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the bag; Fig. 2 I is a side elevation of the bag shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bag just prior to placement over a hand or other member; Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view of the filler device; and Fig. 5, a sectional view of a modified form showing it in place over a hand and forearm.

Hot and cold packs are frequently used by physicians in their various treatments. Heretofore it has been customary to use a common type of hot water bottle for a hot pack, andan ice bag of conventional type for a cold pack. This, of course, required two separate devices for the two functions. Neither the hot water bottle nor the ice bag were so designed as to enable convenient application to certain portions of the body of a patient, such as a hand, a foot, the back of the head, etc. A head fracture is usually treated with an ice pack; an infection of the hand is frequently treated with a hot pack in order to localize the infection. Where the application was being made to the'head it would require a towel or some other means tied about the head to keep the ice pack in position; the application for the hand infection generally involved either soaking the hand in an open vessel of hot water or the like, or wrapping the hand and a hot water bottle together in a large towel.

The present invention provides a single bag adapted to be used either as a hot or cold pack, a bag which may be used in all the places in which a hot water bottle or conventional ice pack is now designed to be used and in addition is especially designed for use about a hand or foot, for example.

In the particular embodiment of this invention illustrated herewith the bag I0 comprises a flexible top member I I and a coinciding similar bottom member I2, both members being made of a flexible,- waterproof material, such as a rubberized fabric. The top member is here shown as composed of'four wedgeeshaped extended portions joined toeach other at the seams I3 and sealedftoithecoinciding wedge-shaped portions of 5 thebottomrmember .I2 at the edges I4. It will be noted .that the edges I4 are substantially arcs of a circle having a'center removed from the center-ofthe'bag, so that the distance from theedge to thBtCEIltBY-Of the bag, or to the filler opening to be described, is greater intermediate the seams than at the seams I3. Each of these extended segments or portions has a tie member I5 attached to the outer edge near the center thereof. Referring more particularly to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the top member II of the bag has a central opening I6 therethrough to enable the insertion of ice, hot water, or the like into the bag. The top member II has a filler device I'I sealed thereto and forming a closure for the opening I6 when the bag is in use. This filler device is of some rigid material, here shown as metal. The device comprises an annulus I8 surrounding the opening and having transverse members I9 extending thereacross. A cap or cover 20 is adapt 25 ed to be removably held in place on the annulus I8, as by screwing thereon. I The bottom member I2 of the bag is permanently attached to the filler device or annulus in some manner. Referring to Fig. 4, the bottom member I2 is here shown as having a button 2I in the center thereof and a link 22 projecting through the bag and fastening the button 2| to the filler device by passing over the two transa verse members I9 at the junction thereof. The 5 button 2| would, of course, be sealed to the bottom member I2 in order to prevent any leakage therearound. This construction causes the bag, when picked upby the filler device, to assume the position illustrated in Fig. 3, forming a pocket 23 surrounded by the four extended segments. It is readily apparent that this construction facilitates the placing of this bag about a hand or foot where it may be secured in place by the tie members I5. A pack is thus provided wherein an infected hand, for example, may be conveniently completely surrounded by a bag containing therein hot water, in order to form a hot pack, Should the hand be crushed, on the other hand, the bag may be filled with pieces of ice and also conveniently fastened in position about the injured member. If it is desired to use the bag to treat a head fracture on the back of the skull, for example, it conveniently fits in place and may be held there by a pair of tie members I5 across 55 the forehead and another pair under the chin.

Other places of .use for which this bag 15 particularly designed will readily occur to one skilled in the application of such packs. In addition, the bag is fully as convenient as the usual hot Water bag or ice pack for treatment of portions of the body requiring no special design. That is, it may be readily used as a cold pack on the stomach, as a hot pack for the treatment of a kidney attack or an appendectomy incision, or the like.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 5, the top member 24 and bottom member 25 are also composed of flexible, waterproof material, but are preformed and sealed together at the annular edge 26 to form a substantially cylindrical pocket 27 adapted to receive a hand and forearm, for example. In this modification the bottom member 25 is also centrally attached to a filler device 28, as by a button and link 29. This form of the bag is designed only for use on hands or feet, as it cannot be spread flat for use on the back or other similar surface as can the bag illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4. The central connection of the bottom member to the filler device serves to maintain the substantially cylindrical pocket 2?, and to prevent the bottom member 25 from collapsing when the bag is filled with Water or me.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claim, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as possible in view of the prior art.

I claim:

Apparatus of the character described, including: a pack comprising bottom and top members, said members each comprising a plurality of substantially wedge-shaped portions of flexible, water-proof material, seamed together and sealed to the coinciding portion of the other member at the outer edge thereof, said top member having a central opening therethrough, the seams extending radially a substantial distance from said opening but the distance from said edge to said opening being greater intermediate said seams than at said seams; a filler device comprising an annulus of rigid material sealed to said top member about said opening, said annulus having a transverse member extending thereacross, and a closure therefor; and means conmeeting the center of said bottom member to said transverse member, said means comprising a link movable with respect to said transverse member.

MARJORIE E. CAREL. 

